Flexible pipe joint



tweentbe ball and'socket :so that Wear is- Patented Mar. 1, 1927.

UNITED STATES '1,619,215 PATENT ,.QFFLQE,

EDWARD n. Itussnnn, or oHIcneofII/ILINoIs, Asselvoi?v To vAAPon een IInrvIIIyof ooMrAgnY, INoJ, oF o IJIIoAGo, ILLINOIS, Aooneoinemoiy or NEW YORK.

-FLEXIBLE PIPE JOINT.

Applvafm filed January A9, 1225, Serial No. 1,407.` Renewed January vide an improved` sealing device adapted to be interposed between tbe socket member and the inner end of 12b-.eben member for making the joints fluid-tight at all times. o

The invention is intended primarily for u seyas a partei a `flexible pipe connection be-y tween tbe steam or air pipes of adjacent cars of a railway train. kSuch a pipe connection must be freely ,ilegible ,to alloiv for the relative angular move-ments of the tivo cars', and at tbe same time must maintain la inid-tiglit joint. These sealing vdevices oiistomarily embody a gasket, longitudinally adjustable Within tbe socket member, and bearing against tliefinnerend off tlie ball member. There are constant vlbratory movements between the two members of the joint Vwhich tend to iyear down the gasket, particularly the `surface thereof bearing against the ball. 'Ille fluid pressurein Athe joint tends to force '.tlie gasket, as a Wedge, into the space betaken up automatically.

My present invention seeks to provide a simple' and ,economical sealing device for use in a pipe joint of tliis type, which is autematcally adjustable te tek@ 11i) weer and t0 accommodate .itself to tlie vangular and siviyel movements of the ball and socket relativefto one'anotlier, and which will at all times Aseal the joint between'tlie gasket and the ,socket member i v Another object of the invention is to pro- Slide means `for 'holding the gasket in y'con'- joint? en .the

.tact with the ball rideeplt members when itliefi'Qint is Ynot und-er 171.111@ pressure f More Specifically, my improved- Seelns de vic-e .consists of afsubstantiall-y cylindrical. helloivgasket .me-mbe' adapted to @slide longitudinally' through -they socket member, and

ciiried .at .its-5.11m?? @DC @gefit the j ball. Afollotver engages .with the rear end of the gasket, "and an Vannular sealing meinber .or (Wiper is secured to .the .followerand engages dish the .Seekt .membefto Seal the @nieuwe ventims #verf-Wide screwed into .the ring 1,3

` scribed. Th"

,tneifr' inner' an improved sealing device of tlie type brie-fly described above, and .described more 1n detail'liereina-fter.

Other objectsy and advantages of the invention .will be apparent'from tliz'e following ldetailed description of a certainv "approved form of apparatus embodying the principles of tliis invention. 4

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is' atentral longitudinal section throligh onevflthe ein@ Connectene, shoving a .preferred form of the improved sealingde vioe installedtherein.

Fig. 2 isa transverse sectiontaken substantiallyon the line s,2f-2 of Fig. `l ;y and F ig. 3 isa perspective View of vthe'sealing assembly, als used :in Figs. 1 2. Y

Referring to't'he drames; 'the pipe Conf DGCtiQII @Oilprises 'a .SQClket 'member laha "1.10'

a cylindrical. recess O r opening 2 tbereimaiid a ball member 3 centered `Within the outer portion of recess Zand having .a lO'QSe Work ing fit in this receSS ,SQA .that siibstantial clearance space l efXist-s between allfportions of the ball and the surrounding portion" of the socket member. Articulating means providedto hold tlie loall member V3 centered Within socket member 1, While at the saine time `s tllovving free, lielgttvre, angular and kpreferably rotative moyements between tliese members'.- For tlilis'purposre, an annularcollar 5 is sivivelled npon a neck portion 6 Aoftlie ball member 3,' behind a shoulder 7 prietine' outwardly from "this neck "ielztOiL Ail-ins ,8 'extending' oiitwarcllyU at ,diametri- @ally .Opposite .peitsfeniffhe ,Cellaf Proit fivardly around 'the bell member "Pivot studs :9, `at thfe'ends ofthe bolts 1Q, are

kscrewed into ',tlie kouter ends 'of 8, .tbe

eisten@- vsocket ineiiiber 1.' :to

the Sockmember 16.11 an'axeele -iesens e center.' of' .banca and right meneame 90 fromme bushings ,leyes vieasiy *de ef bolts '14 li vepil A. studs on Seesen-tiek Ioo y and the neck portion of the ball, member lill y This 3 has a corresponding threaded tubular Lxtension 16 adapted to be engaged with ann other sect-ion of this flexible piping.

The sealing device now to be described, forming the principal feature of the proaent invention. is adapted to n'iaintain a fluidtight joint between theball and socket inem bers oi the flexible pipe connect-ion at all times, without interfering with the tree an gular and rotative movement of the ball member within the socket. The gasket 17 formed of a hard rubber composition or other suitable n'iaterialA has an outer cylindrical surface adapted to slide freely within the recess 2 in the socket member l. One inner end of the `gasket 17 is curved as shown at 1S to fitagainst the adjacent end of the ball member 3. At ils opposite end the gasket is cut away as at lll to engage the conical portion 2O of a metallic follower 2l. This follower 21 has an outer cylindrical flange 22 extending over the adjacent end portion of the gasket, and an oppositely extending cylindrical flange 23 at its inner edge, serving as a centering device for thecompression spring 211.` which bears at one end against the follower and at its other end against a shoulder `25 in the socket member. A flexible ring 2G ot' some suitable soft material` is secured to the conical portion 20 oll the :followerl `Preferably the inner portion of this ring 2G is clamped between thc follower and a `second conical plate 27` by means of rivets 28 sccured through the two plates and the flexible ring. The outer,peripheral edge of the ring 26 is adapted lo act as al wiper pressing yieldably against the inner wall of the recess 2 in socket member l. The steam pressure within the pipe connection, which l holds the gasket L17 forcibly in place between the socket member and ball memlier Il, also clampsthewiper yieldably against the inner wall of the socket member and maintains a fluid-tight joint `between the Vfollower and the socket. Spring24 assists the fluid pressure within the pipe connection in holding the gasket in operative position, and also maintains kthe gasket in position when the fluid ressure within the` pipe is released.

evice is allows a practically unlimited longitudinal adjustment of the gasket 17, and maintains simple `and easily assembled,` lagainst the ball member is lon a fluid-tight joint between the gasket and the socket member at all times.

lVhile I desire to cover herein all modifications of the disclosed embodiment ol my invention within the scope of the appended claims, I do not claim herein features of the invention common to this application and an application filed February 27, 1926, Serial No. 91,150 as a division hereof, as such common invention is claimed in thc divisional application.

I claim:

l. In a flexible pipe connection, a socket member having al substantially cylindrical recess, a ball member projecting within this recess, cmmecting means for holding the ball centered within the recess but permitling free angular movement thereof, afgasket having a slidable fit within the cylindrical recess and bearing at one end against the ball member, a :follower at the other end of the gasket` and a flexible wiper secured lo the follower and bearing at its outer edge against the walls of. the recess.

2. In a flexible pipe connection` a socket member having a substantially cylindrical recess, a ball member projecting within this recess, connecting means for holding the ball centered within the recess but permitting `free angular movement; thereof, a gasket having a slidable fit within the cylindrical recess and bearing at one end against the ball member, a follower having oppositely directed cylindrical flanges at its two ends, one hooked over the rear end of the gasket, and the other serving as a spring centering device, a spring mounted between the follower and the socket member and a flexible wiper secured to the 'follower and bearing at its outer edge against the socket member.

2%. In a flexible pipe connection, a socket member having a `substantially cylindrical recess, a ball member projecting within this recess, connecting means for holding the ball centered within the recess but permitting :free angular movement thereof?, a gasket having a slidable lit within the cylindrical recess and bearing at oneend against the ball member, a follower at the other end of the gasket consisting ol' a pair of annular metallic niemliiors, and a flexible wiper clamped between the members and bearing against the socket men'iber at s outer edge. y el. ln a flexible pipe comiectioirof the ball and .socket type, in which a gasket bearing against the ballmomber is longitudinally movable within the socket` member, a lolu lower behind the gasket having a flexible wiper to bear yieldablyagainst the socket member.

ln a flexible pipe connection of the ball and socket type,\in which a gasket bearing `oitudinally loo movable within the socket member, a fol-V lower comprising a metallic portion enclosing the rear end of the gasket .and a flexible wiper secured to the metallic portion and bearing yieldably against the socket member.

6. In a flexible pipe connection of the ball and socket type, in which a gasket bearing against the ball member is longitudinally movable within the socket member, a follower comprising an annular` lmetallic member having a cylindrical flange at its outer edge enclosing the'end of the gasket, and an inwardly directed conical portion bearing against this end of the gasket, and a flexible wiper secured to the conical portion and adapted to press yieldably against the socket member. Y

7. In a iexible pipe connection of the ball and socket type, in which a gasket bearing against the ball member is longitudinally movable within the socket member, a follower comprising an annular metallic kmember having a cylindrical flange at its outer edge enclosing the end of the gasket, an oppositely directed springcentering flange at its inner edge, and an intermediate conical portion converging inwardly in the direction of the ball member and a Yflexible wiper secured to the conical portion with its outer edge bearing against the socket member. y

8. In a flexible pipe connection of the ball and socket type, in which a gasket bearing against the ball member is longitudinally movable within the socket member, a follower comprising an annular metallic member having a cylindrical flangeat its outer edge enclosingV the end of the gasket, an oppositely directed spring-centering .ange at its inner' edge, and an intermediate conical portion converging inwardly in the direction of the ball member, and an annular flexible wiper adapted to bear yieldably at its outer edge against the socket member,

and a second conical metallic member between which and the first named conical portion the wiper is clamped.

9. In combination with a flexible pipe con-` nection of the ball and socket type in which a gasket bearing against the ball member is longitudinally movable within the socket member, a flexible wiper on the gasket and bearing against the wallof the socket mem* ber to seal the space between the gasket and socket.

10. In combination with a flexible pipe connection of the ball and socket type in which a gasket bearing against the ball member is longitudinally movable within the socket member, a flexible wiper interposed between the gasket and the wall of the socket member to provide a seal between these members.

11. In a flexible joint, the combination of an interiorly cylindrical socket member, a ball member projecting into the socket member, articulating means for holding the ball member centered in the socket member with capacity for angular movement, an exteriorly cylindrical gasket slidably arranged within the socket member to bear against the inner end of the ball member, and a flexible wiper interposed vbetween the gasket and socket nember to seal the space between these memers.

l2. In a flexible joint, the combination of an interiorly cylindrical socket member, a ball member projecting into the socket member, articulating means for holding the ball member centered in the socket member with capacity for angular movement, an exteriorly cylindrical gasket slidably arranged within the socket member to bea-r against the inner end of the ball member, and a flexible wiper on said gasket to bear against the inner wall of the socket member.

EDWARD A. RUSSELL. 

